BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 65 



The little projections or feet at the conical end of the glass tube 

 should be accurately ground so as to compel a uniform current to flow 

 from all points of the base of the tube. The capacity of the jar in 

 question may be stated as 150,000 eggs of the Coregonus albim. 



At the present writing, I have a jar containing 40,000 eggs of the 

 whitefish, which are hatching very rapidly. These are the oldest eggs 

 on hand, and their speedy development was brought about by an acci- 

 dent. The main conducting pipe sprung a leak, which interrupted the 

 water supply of the jar for a few moments only ; but as soon as the 

 water was turned on again from another pipe, these eggs immediately 

 began hatching by the thousands. This shows that when the eggs are 

 nearly developed, their constant movement in the jar must not be 

 checked if it is thought advisable to detain the appearance of the fry 

 for the longest possible period. These eggs, however, were nearly ma- 

 ture, and the fry therefrom are lively and vigorous. 



Yours, very truly, 



FEANK N. CLAEK. 

 Prot. S. F. Baird, 



U. 8. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, Washington, D. G. 



COAIi ASHES AS A mEANS OF RAISINC} JUACKERELr II\ PURSE SEINES. 



Bv S. J. MARTIIV. 



Sometimes, when there is a large school of mackerel in the seine, they 

 are heavy on the bottom of the seine, so that it cannot be easily handled. 

 In such a case heave a bucket of coal ashes in the seine, and that will 

 bring the mackerel to the surface. Captain Coas, of schooner John S. 

 McQuinn, told me he had three hundred barrels of mackerel in his seine 

 and they lay so heavy on the twine that he could not move the seine 

 with twelve men hauling on the twine. He threw a bucket of coal ashes 

 in it, the mackerel came to the surface, and they could then easily haul 

 the seine. All the vessels that have tried it say it works well. The 

 cook saves the coal ashes.* 



mETHOD OF USIIVC VF1X.I.ARI>'S PATENT POCKET FOR MACKEREL.. 



By S. J. MARTIN. 



Capt. S. J. Martin, Gloucester, Mass., writes in his journal, under date 

 of June 30, 1881 : 



" I will explain how Willard^s Patent Pocket is used for mackerel. In 

 the first place, there are two out-riggers 9 feet long and 4 inches through ; 



*NOTE. — Ashes have been used, so Mr. Merchant tells me, for several years, but is 

 thrown outside of the seine instead of into it, as Captain Martin thought. The object 

 is to frighten the fish by making the water white, when they rise to the surface. Tlie 

 same result is obtained by the menhaden fishermen by giving a few quick turns of the 

 propeller. The fishermen call it "whirling them up." — J. W. Collins. 

 BuU. U. S. F. C, 81 5 



